A challenge for Europe

Immediate relief to Iraqi Christians: this the priority voiced during a meeting organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on the situation of Christians in Iraq, held in Berlin in the past few days. The tragic situation, of which little is known and is said in Europe, was illustrated by several speakers: CDU MP, Arnold Vaatz, Otmar Oehring, head of the Human Rights Office of Missio-Aachen, sister Marie-Claude Naddaf, superior in Damascus of the order of the Good Shepherd, and Msgr. François Yakan, vicar in Istanbul of the Patriarchate of the Caldeans in Turkey and co-founder of the Assyrian-Caldean charitable association Kasder. They made an urgent plea to closely follow developments in Iraq. Already past November Comece had launched an appeal in the support of these refugees, while at the beginning of January 2008 its president, Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn, with reference to the European Parliament resolution of November 15, 2007, had written to the EU Slovenian Presidency asking for the issue to be put on the agenda of the forthcoming reunion of the European Council and that a contingent of Iraqi refugees, approximately 60 thousand, be received in our continent (see SIR Europa 12/2008).Not just watching. In her address, sister Naddaf described the vicissitudes of Iraqi Christians who arrive in Syria without prospects or guidance. Their status is that of “visitors”: they are not allowed to work, and it was recently decided they must ask a renewal of their visa every three months. “This procedure isn’t only risky, it also entails high costs with no long-lasting prospects for the refugees”, she remarked. “I want to appeal to the brothers and sisters in Europe. Are you just watching things happen? Who is going to be accountable for this? Are you willing to welcome refugees in Germany?”. These were the questions of sister Naddaf who exhorted to adopt an attitude based on “solidarity” and “Christian charity”. A great challenge for Europe. According to Bundestag MP Arnold Vaatz (Cdu), granting hospitality to refugees in Europe is a reasonable “ultimate ratio”. “But it can’t be the objective of abandoning the foundation of Christian communities in Iraq”, he pointed out. “Those responsible for this tragic situation must not think that they succeeded in completing religious purging and that they have reached their goal”. The consequences of this persecution are “terrible”, he added, referring to the acts of violence suffered daily by Christians under the form of “mutilation, torture, rapes and murders. Helping people in situations of emergency is a great challenge for Europe and it’s finally time to talk about it”, he declared. Helping everyone. In joining the appeal of Sister Naddaf for a greater attention in Europe to the problem of Iraqi Christians, Msgr. Yakan underlined that “along with the Christians also the religious balance in the Middle East would disappear”. According to Msgr. Yakan, rather than directing the flow of Christian refugees in Europe, it’s necessary to allow them to stay in their Country. He recalled that also other religious minorities are fleeing from Iraq. “We must try to help refugees of all confessions”, he concluded. Improving the situation of refugees. Mr. Oehring analysed the situation in Iraq, whereby an Islamic group issued a fatwa imposing Christians to convert within 24 hours threatening to kill them if they didn’t comply. Refugees are hardly ever allowed to bring their belongings with them. “It’s no longer possible to grant shelter to refugees in the Northern part of the Country”, he pointed out. “However, world Churches wish to maintain a Christian presence in Iraq”. MP Oehring also described the situation of bordering Countries which give asylum to the refugees: Syria, Jordan and Turkey, where often they aren’t allowed to attend schools or access hospitals. “They don’t arrive to a new homeland”, he stressed. This is why Europe “should give hospitality to a given number of refugees”: “we have the possibility of granting them a more secure refugee status”. At the same time, “support should be given to those Countries granting temporary asylum, in order to ensure they enjoy better treatment”. During the debate which followed the conference, Iraqi Christians living in Germany described the persecution of relatives and friends who are still in Iraq. They all pointed to the fact that Christians in Iraq enjoy no form of protection whatsoever and that also the Kurd Northern region isn’t safe for Iraqi Christians.